Ponce de Le?n takes first victory in T.C.

Before the weekend, he wasn`t between the main candidates. However,
Gabriel Ponce de LeÃ³n (Ford nÂº 10) managed to reach his first career
victory in Turismo Carretera (TC) at the fourteenth round disputed
yesterday at the Nueve de Julio ...

Before the weekend, he wasn`t between the main candidates. However,
Gabriel Ponce de León (Ford nº 10) managed to reach his first career
victory in Turismo Carretera (TC) at the fourteenth round disputed
yesterday at the Nueve de Julio Raceway.

The competition on sunday started with Ponce in the pole position after
winning the fastest hit of the morning. But it was Christian Ledesma
(Chevrolet nº 2) who sourprised Ponce by taking the leadership in the
first turn.

The 2003 sub-champion seemed to have a machine to dominate the situation,
but the rhythm of Ponce, helped by a well balanced chassis and a better
engine, gave the two times TC 2000 champion the opportunity to re-take
his leading position on lap seven.

From that point Pon de León pushed hard and quickly made an imporant gap
impossible to follow for the rest of the field.

With the leader far away, the dispute for the following places between
the protagonists of the championship became in the interesting to see for
the fans.

Ledesma continued loosing his level and lost second place in hands of
Juan M. Silva (Ford nº 6), meanwhile Norberto Fontana (Dodge nº23), who
started from eleventh place, was already sixth looking for more drivers
to pass.

The argued betweeen standings leader, Omar Martínez (Ford nº 4) and
Fontana left the former F1 driver with fifth place taking advantage of
Martínez`s condition.

By halfway through the race, current champion Ernesto Bessone (Dodge nº
1) was doing his best complicated with the ballast and reaching eighth
position.

The dispute for the last spot of the podium had Ledemsa, Guillermo
Ortelli (Chevrolet nº 3) and Fontana squabbling head to head.

On lap 21 Fontana, winner this year at Río Cuarto, used all his potential
to leave behind Ortelli along his aspirations to take a podium from Nueve
de Julio.

Two laps later and almost in the end of the race, it was Ledesma`s turn
to suffer Fontana`s power. The former TC 2000 champion passed the Chevy,
while Bessone was out of the 15th. places after a spin.

The end of the competition had Ponde de León comfortably winning for the
first time after 39 races in the series. A needed result for the 24 years
old driver in a complicated season in the series.

"I`m very happy for this achieve. I want a thank the team that worked a
lot for this and to everyone that supported me during this time",
expressed Ponce during the press conference.

Silva completed the 1-2 for the Ford fans. Now Silva is second in the
standings, but he still needs a victory in the next two races if he wants
to take the championship. And he wants. "This is a good result after all.
I`m ok and we are not going to give up now. It was a great season for us,
and we still in the fight", Silva said.

Fontana, out of the convesation for the championship, added another
important podium in the series. In his second year in TC, Fontana showed
all he can do and it is a candidate for next season, surely.

Martínez scored sixth place in the end. A good result thinking only in
the title. "We did fine today. The target is to be ahead of Silva on next
and, if is it possible, take the victory", he mentionned.

The Ford men has 166 points followed by Silva with 156,5. Ortelli
(144,5), Bessone (144) and Walter Hernández (134,5) completes top five
positions.